Silas' Tombstone
According to Atticus Shane, it is purportedly the world's first tombstone, and one of the keys to raising Silas. It is also considered extremely valuable in some witch circles, worth even more than the , as it contains Qetsiyah's calcified blood. It is first seen in the episode We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes, when Shane displays it at an exhibit at Mystic Falls High School. Appearance Silas’ headstone appears to have once had ancient symbols etched onto its surface that have since been eroded. It is a sedimentary rock, probably sandstone infused with quartz, or a dolomite. It is probably very heavy. It is possible that the stone is native to Nova Scotia, where Silas was buried. Interpretations of Etchings Aramaic Writing at Shane's Exhibit Aramaic writing.jpg|Aramaic Writing Pertaining to the Headstone Inscription of Silas' name on headstone Inscription of Silas on headstone.jpg|Inscription of Silas' name on headstone The Ankh Symbol An Ankh symbol is shown during Shane's exhibit. It portrayed as a cross with a handle on it. In the image shown, the ankh is between the hands (on the right) and the nose of the face (on the left) of the figure in the motif. Though the Ankh’s literary origins remain a mystery, it is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyph that means “life” and is also used in many Gnostic sects, as well as by many neo-pagans. Eternal Life symbol.jpg|Ankah Symbol Ouroboros During Shane's exhibit at Mystic Falls High School, a motif of an ouroboros was shown that symbolizes Silas' eternal life. An ouroboros represents cyclicality, especially in the sense of something constantly re-creating itself. It can also be thought of as the eternal return, and is commonly, though not always shown as a snake or dragon with its tail in its mouth. The earliest ouroboros known at this time was discovered in the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld found in the tomb of Tutankhamen, dating to 14th century BCE. Ouroboros.jpg|Ouroboros History In We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes, Shane asserts that the headstone had been donated to Whitmore College, though it is not clear if Shane donated the stone himself or if the stone came into his collection at that point. In After School Special, Kol acknowledges along with Shane that the headstone is needed to raise Silas. Later in the same episode, Stefan is still determined to obtain the cure, and entices Rebekah to join him in his efforts. In Catch Me If You Can, Rebekah and Stefan acknowledge with the exception of themselves, the others who are searching for the cure have one of the keys needed to resurrect Silas. They decide to steal the headstone from Shane which they believe is one of the keys to resurrecting Silas. Rebekah says that by obtaining the stone, it will force 'Team Shane' to join 'Team Rebekah' and leave 'Team Klaus' "out in the cold where he belongs." Later, while Rebekah and Stefan are searching Shane's office for the stone, someone unlocks the door and enters. Rebekah and Stefan hide and watch as the unknown intruder procures the headstone from its hiding place. It can be assumed that he was sent to guard the headstone while Shane was being questioned at the police office. Rebekah catches the intruder off guard, takes the headstone, and ties him up to interrogate him for additional information. In response, the intruder bites off his tongue and shortly thereafter stabs himself to prevent from revealing any secrets to them. Though it is never stated, the intruder was probably a follower of Silas, as his followers believe they will be resurrected with Silas if they die in his name. In O Come All Ye Faithful, Shane joins Elena, Bonnie, Jeremy and Damon at the Gilbert Family's lake house in hopes that he can intervene with Jeremy's urge to kill Elena due to his hunter's mark. He also brings the headstone with him to entice the group in helping him find the cure. In the episode Into the Wild, Rebekah, Stefan, Shane, Bonnie, Elena and Jeremy have traveled to Nova Scotia (aka The Island) where Silas is reportedly buried, with plans to resurrect him in order to obtain the cure. After Jeremy and Bonnie go missing, Rebekah realizes that the headstone has been taken as well and she accuses Elena of stealing it. Unbenounced to Rebekah, however, the headstone has been taken by Shane. In Down the Rabbit Hole, Shane reveals that the stone only served as payment to Massak, a warlock and mercenary, who helped put his plan to raise Silas into action. Shortly after Massak was given the stone, he was killed by Katherine Pierce, and the stone was assumed to be in her possession, would later be confirmed. In She's Come Undone, Bonnie strikes a deal with Katherine to obtain the stone. Bonnie plans on channeling the energy from Qetsiyah's blood in order to drop the veil to the Other Side. In The Walking Dead, Uses Because it contains Qetsiyah's calcified blood, it is considered extremely valuable in some witch circles. Shane uses the as a comparison to impress just how valuable it is. According to Katherine the stone can be channeled as a source of power, similar to using a celestial event like the moon or a comet. See also Silas's Headstone